In factories, plants, and other industrial facilities, many machines and systems run on electrical power supplied through cables. These cables often need to be joined or spliced to bridge gaps or create branches in the wiring network.
Properly joining cables is extremely important for safety and reliability. One modern jointing technique ideal for industrial use is cold shrinkable cable jointing. This blog explains the key benefits of this method.
What Is Cold Shrinkable Jointing?
Unlike traditional heat-shrink tubing, cold shrinkable jointing uses pre-stretched sleeves or components that shrink when removed from their packaging. No heat or flames are required for installation.
The sleeves are made from special cross-linked polymeric materials like HDPE or silicone rubber. They are first expanded in manufacture, and then packaged in an unstressed state to retain their "memory."
When unpacked and positioned over the cable joint area, the sleeves gradually recover their original compact shape to create a tight environmental seal around the conductors.
Ease of Installation
A major advantage of the cold shrinkable cable jointing process is the ease and speed of installation. There are no complicated tools, heat sources, or processes involved. The pre-stretched sleeves can simply be moved into position by hand.
This allows cable joints to be completed much faster than heat shrink methods, especially in restricted or difficult locations. Minimal workspace is required, making it suitable for even congested industrial environments.
Consistent Quality
Since no heat is applied, the cold shrink cable can retain all its built-in physical and electrical properties during installation. There is no risk of degradation or defects from uneven heating.
The consistent pressure and tight fit provided by the pre-stretched sleeves lead to a uniform, free of voids around the joint. This ensures reliable electrical characteristics without hot spots or weak points.
Safe Installation
Using open flames or heat guns for conventional heat-shrink terminations can pose significant safety risks in many industrial situations. It creates fire hazards, especially around combustible materials.
Cold shrink jointing completely eliminates these risks by avoiding any heat sources during installation. This makes it an ideal choice for hazardous areas with flammable gases or volatile substances present.
Environmental Protection
The cold shrink cable creates an impermeable moisture, chemical, and corrosion-resistant barrier around the cable joint. Sealing rubbers and adhesives provide long-lasting environmental protection even in harsh conditions.
This shielding prevents issues like water ingress, electrical tracking, and metal oxidation that can lead to joint failures and conductor damage over time. It enhances joint reliability and lifetime.
Wide Temperature Range
Cold-applied cable joints can operate across an extremely wide temperature range from as low as -40°C to as high as 130°C without compromising performance.
The cross-linked polymers retain their insulation qualities even in extreme cold or heat. This thermal stability makes cold shrink ideal for industrial applications exposed to temperature extremes or cycling.
Conclusion
In industrial environments, having reliable, long-lasting cable joints is crucial for electrical safety and uptime. Cold shrinkable cable jointing offers numerous operational benefits over traditional heat shrink methods.
From ease of installation and consistent quality to environmental protection and temperature resilience, the cold shrink approach resolves many common jointing challenges. It ultimately provides enhanced safety and joint integrity, making it ideal for demanding industrial applications in the UAE.